Business/Commerce (Bachelor's Degree) at Denison University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$48,597

Est. from OH median (13 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$30,625

Est. from OH median (3 programs)

Analysis

Denison's highly selective admissions (17% acceptance rate) and strong student profile don't automatically translate to outsized business earnings. Based on comparable Ohio business programs, first-year earnings around $48,600 align with the state median—placing graduates right in the middle of the pack, behind places like DeVry and Franklin University that post $51,000-$57,000 for their business majors. For a school charging private tuition, that's worth examining closely.

The estimated $30,625 in debt from peer institutions at Denison produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63, which is manageable but not impressive given the selectivity. Similar private schools in Ohio typically see graduates carrying more debt than their public counterparts while entering the same labor market. The concerning reality: Denison business grads appear to start at roughly the same salary as graduates from much less selective Ohio schools, yet likely pay significantly more to get there.

For families paying full freight at a competitive liberal arts college, this warrants a hard conversation about return on investment. If your child is set on business and you're budget-conscious, Ohio's public universities deliver comparable starting salaries at a fraction of the cost. Denison may offer valuable networking and a prestigious name, but those intangibles need to justify a potentially substantial tuition premium over outcomes you can find elsewhere in-state.

Where Denison University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all business/commerce bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Ohio

Business/Commerce bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Ohio (22 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Denison UniversityGranville	$64,000	$48,597*	—	$30,625*	—
DeVry University-OhioColumbus	$17,488	$57,020*	$56,664	$47,236*	0.83
Franklin UniversityColumbus	$9,577	$51,408*	—	$30,885*	0.60
Ashland UniversityAshland	$28,910	$50,262*	$43,439	$30,625*	0.61
University of Akron Main CampusAkron	$12,799	$49,049*	$43,756	$31,000*	0.63
Ohio State University-Lima CampusLima	$9,212	$48,597*	$54,191	$19,900*	0.41
National Median	—	$47,506*	—	$26,000*	0.55

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with business/commerce graduates

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Industrial Production Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Quality Control Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate quality assurance programs. Formulate quality control policies and control quality of laboratory and production efforts.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geothermal Production Managers

Manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels Production Managers

Manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biomass Power Plant Managers

Manage operations at biomass power generation facilities. Direct work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Hydroelectric Production Managers

Manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Construction Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.

$106,980/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Administrative Services Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Facilities Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Security Managers

Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Denison University, approximately 13% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 13 similar programs in OH. Actual outcomes may vary.